Lizzo will read "Where the Wild Things Are" in a pre-recorded video for Fort Bend County Libraries' first virtual Read-A-Thon, streaming Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The Houston native, a four-time Grammy winner, described the Maurice Sendak classic as her favorite book growing up. She is on tour promoting her new children's book, "Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin," Houston Public Media reported.
"I'm so excited to be celebrating library card sign-up month and World Literacy Day with y'all and Fort Bend County Libraries," Lizzo said in the video.
The 24-hour stream begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday on the library system's YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages. All videos are pre-recorded. The event runs through Wednesday, Sept. 9, according to the library's announcement.
Fort Bend County Libraries announced the Read-A-Thon on Sept. 4 without naming specific celebrity guests.
The library system serves Missouri City residents through the Missouri City Branch Library at 1530 Texas Parkway and Stafford residents through the Mamie George Branch Library at 320 Dulles Ave.
Library Director Roosevelt Weeks told Houston Public Media the event aims to get people reading at least 10 minutes of any book. He said about a third of people in the area cannot read and called literacy "a crisis … something that we need to help fix."
More than 4 million Texas adults read below a basic level, according to nonprofit Literacy Texas, which Houston Public Media reported ranks the state fourth-lowest in the country for adult literacy.
Other scheduled readers include bilingual author Erika Andrade Smith, who will read her book "¡Papas y Papas!" in Spanish, and Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon, who will read "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper. The library also promised appearances from media personnel, library staff and other local leaders.
International Literacy Day, established by UNESCO in 1966, turns 60 on Sept. 8. The Read-A-Thon also falls during Library Card Sign-Up Month, an American Library Association initiative held each September since 1987.
Weeks said he looks forward to hosting the Read-A-Thon annually with more local celebrity guest readers.
Upcoming
- Fort Bend County Libraries Read-A-Thon: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 through Wednesday, Sept. 9. Streams on the library's YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages. Free.
